Variable rate computing and recording register

ABSTRACT

A computing and recording register wherein integrating digital counters are driven by an input shaft to perform quantity, price and tax computations. The price and tax counters are driven by computer gearing coupled to the quantity counter drive gearing through a clutch. A two-stage advance mechanism rounds off the least significant digit of each of the counters and aligns the digits for printing quantity, price and tax data on a recording sheet at the conclusion of each transaction to be recorded. During the first stage, the quantity counter is advanced to align the digits while the clutch is engaged so that the price and tax counters are driven as the quantity counter advances. During the second stage, the clutch is disengaged and the price and tax counters advance independently of the quantity counter. Also included are a plurality of variable ratio gear trains adjustable through a translatable and rotatable selector shaft for changing one or more of the gear ratios to select the desired tax rate and price per quantity unit.

United States Patent 115] 3,637,999 .Pap pas [4 1 Jan. 25, 1972 [$4]VARIABLE RATE COMPUTING AND Primary ExaminerRichard B. WilkinsonAssistant Examiner- Stanley A. Wal

RECORDING REGISTER Attorney-Billy G. Corber and George C. Sullivan [72]Inventor: Michael Pappas, lrvington, NJ. [73] Assignee: LockheedAircraft Corporation, Burbank, [57] ABSTRACT Calif. A computing andrecording register wherein integrating di ital counters are driven b anin ut shaft to erform uanti- [22] Filed; May 1970 ty, price and taxcomputatio ns. Th: price and t ax countlrs are [2]] Appl. No.: 40,003driven by computer gearing coupled to the quantity counter drive gearingthrough a clutch. A two-stage advance mechanism rounds off the leastsignificant digit of each of the [52] US. Cl ..235/94 A, 235/58 P,235/144 D, counters and aligns the digits for Printing quantity priceand 222/30 346/43 tax data on a recording sheet at the conclusion ofeach [51 l III. Cl ..B67d 5/22 ransaction to be recorded During thefirst Stage the q i [58] Field 0! Search "235/94 50 D; 9 counter isadvanced to align the digits while the clutch is en- 222/23, 30, 32, 36,37; 346/43 aged so that the price and tax counters are driven as thequantity counter advances. During the second stage, the [56] Referencescued clutch is disengaged and the price and tax counters advance UNITEDSTATES PATENTS independently of the quantity counter.

Also included are a plurality of variable ratio gear trains adzz p gzzet justable through a translatable and rotatable selector shaft for3337'l27 8/1967 $23558 P X changing one or more of the gear ratios toselect the deslred 3:358:92l 12/1967 Berck et al ..235/94 A and Pmequanmy 23 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures FIG..1

INVENTOR. MICHAEL PAPPAS BY H ,7

Attorne PATENTEDmzsmz 3'537'999 swat/z or 1 FIG- 2 INVENTOR. MICHAELPAPPAS Attorney PATENTEUmzsmz I 3.631999 saw u. 0F 7 INVENTOR. MICHAELPAPPAS 311W y- ,ga /a Attorney PATENIEU JANZS I972 3 6 37 I999 SHEET '5BF 7 INVENTOR. MICHAEL PAPPAS Horney miminmzsm 7 swan sar FIG 8 KINVENTOR. MICHAEL PAPPAS Attorney SHEET 70F? PATENTED mas I972 FlG l5INVENTOR. MIC HAE L PA PPAS VARIABLE RATE COMPUTING AND RECORDINGREGISTER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates tocombination computing and recording registers for use with flowmeterswherein the flow and measurement of a delivered product is continuous,resulting in an analogue-type input to the computing register in theform of a shaft rotatiomThe input is typically accumulated onintegrating digital counters and displayed in the form of quantity andprice information. The price per quantity unit, tax rate, product codeand the like may be set into the register by the operator prior tobeginning a delivery and printed out on a recording sheet along with thequantity and price information for billing purposes to conclude eachtransaction.

I, With such a device, delivery can stop at any arbitrary value, and theleast significant digit wheels of the integrating digital counterscan'therefore stop between digits. Where these counters are for visualdisplay of the output of the register, it is possible to read theresults with sufficient accuracy by simply interpolating between leastsignificant digits. However, where the counters must printthe results ona recording sheet, the digits must all be aligned, resulting in around-off to the nearest quantity and monetary units.

In the prior art as represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,531, for example,there is disclosed a variable rate computing and recording register forprinting out on a recording sheet quantity and price information forbilling purposes. Computation in that device is performed by multiplyingthe measured amount by the price per quantity unit. Both the computedprice and the quantity measurement must be rounded off to align thedigits on the print wheel counters for printing. This is accomplished inthe above patent by simultaneously and independently advancing thequantity and price counters. This can result ina discrepancy between theprinted price and the correct computation based on the'gallons printed,although it would always be correct based on the gallons actuallydelivered. The amount of the discrepancy may vary as much as threemonetary units for a price per monetary unit of 60, and'as much asone-monetary unit for a price per monetary unit of 20. Since theconsumer nonnally sees only the printed ticket, this represents-in hisview an error in computation. A one-cent error as associated with aprice per monetary unit of may be acceptable; but the larger apparenterrors associated with higher prices per monetary unit would beobjectionable, if not commercially unacceptable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The computing and recording register of thisinvention is intended for multiproduct use and is accordingly providedwith an extended price range capability such as for the delivery ofvarious petroleum products. Also, a variety of tax rates, including azero rate, may be selected for each transaction as well as a productcode number for each of a number of products; The changes in price perunit quantity, tax rate and product code number may be made convenientlyby an operator prior to the start of each'delivery. A knob attached toeither side of a selector shaft is used in making the settings. Theshaft is made to move axially for selecting the particular variable tobe altered and rotated to obtain the proper setting for such variable.An interlock mechanism prevents the operator from altering the settingsafter a delivery is begun, and therefore a delivery cannot be carriedout at a rate other than thatprinted on the ticket or recording sheet.It is one of the objects of this invention to provide such a selectingand interlock mechanism for computing and recording registers of thetype herein disclosed.

It is another and primary object of this invention to provide acomputing and recording register wherein the advance of the quantity andthe price-tax counters occurs sequentially in two-stages'with thequantity counter advance occurring first and driving'theprice-tax'counters through the computer section of the device. Betweenthe first and second stages, the

computer section and hence the price-tax countersare uncoupled from thequantity counterDuring the second stage, the price-tax counters areadvanced to align the digits, as was the quantity counter during thefirst stage, for printing the output of the register on a recordingsheet. Thus, the price computation is forced in all cases to agree withthe printed I gallons figure.

Another object of thisinvention is to providea computing and recordingregister with a reset mechanism which includes a price interlock andfriction clutch means to remove backlash in the computer section of thedevice and permit the successful use of loose-fitting, large toleranceparts capable of being economically manufactured.

Further and other objects become apparent from a reading of thefollowing detailed description, especially when considered together withthe accompanying drawings wherein like 'numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the computerand recording register with a portion of the housing cut away to exposeportions of the reset mechanism; 1

FIG. 1A is a view taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing the several gear trains making upthe drive system in the computer and recording register for thequantity, price and tax counters;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the clutch for couplingthe computer sectiOn'price and tax counters of the register to thequantity counter;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side'view of the tens gear train selector assembly;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the selector assembly for the units andtenths unit gear trains;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line f7'7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a isometric view of the movable platen and carriage assemblyonthe register for printing output data on a recording sheet; I

FIG. 9 is a view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on line 1010 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a view showing the print counter aligning shaft and relateddrive body parts carried on the shaft in the register;

FIG. 12 is a view taken alongline 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional .viewof a drive body on the print counteraligning shaft;

FIG. 14 is a view taken along-line1l4-l4 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view taken along linel 5-15 of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 16 is a view taken along linel 6l6 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1; computingand recording register 20 includes a housing 21 having a plurality ofapertures 22 formed therein for observingnonresettable visual displaycounter 23 which accumulates total quantity units, such as gallons offluid delivered in all transactions, resettable visual display counter24 which accumulates quantity :unitsper transaction, and a series ofdisplay wheels 25 indicating the selected price per quantity unit, theproduct codenumber and selected tax rate.

A selector shaft 26 is provided for selecting the desired price perquantity unit, tax rate and product code number, and for positioningdisplay wheels 25 to visually indicate the settings. Manual control knob27, which may preferably be equipped with an overload clutch not shown)is secured to one end of shaft.26.externallyofhousing 21 for rotatingthe shaft. Shaft 26 is axially movable as well as rotatable to aplurality of discrete positions, in which a drive pin 28 on shaft 26meshes with teeth formed by a series of grooves 29, as indicated in FIG.IA, in any one of the plurality of gears 30 for moving the individualdisplay: wheels 25. A detent, such as split spring washer 31 held byframe 32 and retained on shaft 26, cooperates with a series of grooves33formed around the shaft to define a different discrete axial positionof the shaft for each display wheel 25. There are preferably tendiscrete rotational positions for shaft 26, one for each number through9 on display wheels 25, and these discrete positions may be provided byspring detents 35 riding the teeth of associated ratchet wheels 36secured to idler gears 37 individually joumaled on shaft 38, as bestshown in FIGS. 11 and 12. These idler gears are for the purpose ofcoupling display wheels 25 to corresponding print wheels 39 (FIG. 8)such that the print wheel is always positioned to print a number whichcorresponds to that displayed to the operator on display wheel 25. Theidler gears also serve to couple selector shaft 26 and display wheels 25to the price and tax rate selection mechanisms in the computer sectionof the register, as more particularly described hereinafter inconnection with FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is a manual reset knob 40 secured to a drive shaft41 externally of housing 21. Within housing 21, drive shaft 41 carries agear assembly 42 which drives a series of cams and levers, ashereinafter described in detail in connection with FIGS. 2, 4, 8 through11 and 13 through 16, for performing various before-delivery andafter-delivery operations of the register. Reset knob 40 is rotated bythe operator to transfer from the before-delivery mode which allows theregister to receive a recording sheet 43 through slot 44 formed inhousing 21, to a delivery mode in which the recording sheet is locked inposition, and the register is otherwise conditioned for computing adelivery. Rotation of reset knob 40 in the opposite direction in theafter-delivery mode returns the register to its before-delivery mode andperforms necessary afterdelivery functions, including printing a recordof the transaction on a recording sheet following each delivery, all ashereinafter particularly described.

Computing register in the form disclosed herein is intended for use witha meter (not shown) of the type having an output shaft 45 which rotatesproportional to the metered quantity. Output shaft 45 of the meterengages a fork 46 or other suitable coupling device exposed through anopening formed in the underside of housing 21. Fork 46 is secured to ashaft 47 rotatably joumaled on supporting structure 48 forming part offrame 32. A drive gear 49 on shaft 47 forms part of an input gear train50 driving the computer section of the register schematically shown inFIG. 2.

In describing FIG. 2, brief reference will be made to FIGS. 3 through 16as appropriate to show correspondence between the specific structure andthat schematically shown in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the specific structurewill be considered in further detail.

It is seen in FIG. 2 that input gear train 50 includes a shaft 52 havingtwo drive gears 53 and 54. Drive gear 53 is coupled to visual displaycounter 24 which is resettable on shaft 58 to indicate the totalquantity units or gallons delivered per transaction. Drive gear 54meshes with input gear 55 of a drive body 56, shown in detail in FIGS.11, 13, I4 and 15. Drive body 56 has an output gear 57 engaging aquantity print counter 60 on shaft 61. Print counter 60 is representedin FIG. 8 by a group of the print wheels 39 and, like counter 24, it isresettable to indicate the total quantity units or gallons delivered pertransaction. Both visual counter 24 and print counter 60, as well as theother counters employed in the register, are integrating digitalcounters well known in the art and available as standard commercialitems in the open market.

Drive gear 54 also drives nonresettable visual display counter 23through input gear 55 of drive body 56 to accumulate a count of thetotal quantity units delivered through the meter for all transactionsrather than on a per transaction ba- SIS.

Output gear 57 on drive body 56 couples quantity print counter 60 toclutch plate 59 of a clutch 62 through gear 63. The specificconstruction of clutch 62 is shown in FIG. 3 and will be later describedin detail. It should be suff cient at this point to simply state thatclutch 62 drives gears 65 and 66 through a sleeve 64 joumaled on shaft52. Gear 65 drives a cone gear 67 joumaled on shaft 68. The cone gearforms part of a tenths unit price selector gear train 70 and a unitsprice selector gear train 71 in the computer section of the register, asmore particularly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Gear 66 drives a tens unitprice selector gear train 72, shown schematically in FIG. 2 and indetail in FIG. 5. The output of tens unit price selector gear train 72is combined with the output of the tenths unit price selector gear train70 in differential 73. The combined tens and tenths unit output ofdifferential 73 is obtained as a rotation of shaft 68 drives one side ofa second differential 74. The other input to differential 74 is theunits price increment obtained from gear train 71. Rotation of shaft 75at the output of differential 74 accumulates the price per quantity unitbefore taxes. The tax, if any, must be added to this interim total.

Any one of several different tax rates, including a zero tax rate, isavailable through a tax rate selector gear train 80. Gear 81 on shaft 75drives a series of gears 82, 83, 84 and 85, each of a different diameterand secured to common shaft 99. Gears 83, 84 and 85 mesh with selectorgears 86, 87 and 88. Selector gears 86, 87 and 88 are rotatably carriedon levers 90, 91 and 92, each journaled on a common shaft 93 such thatselector gears 86, 87 and 88 may be each selectively moved by itsassociated lever 90, 9,1 or 92 to engage tax rate output gear 94. A cam89 on shaft 26, as shown in FIG. 1, may be employed to remotely controlthe position of levers 90, 91 and 92. Each selector gear 86, 87 and 88may represent a different desired tax rate in terms of a percentage ofthe price per quantity unit, and when all three of the selector gearsare held out of engagement with gear 94, a no output or zero tax rate isobtained from tax rate selector gear train 80. It will of course berecognized that other variable ratio gear trains may be used in place ofthe tax rate selector gear train schematically'shown in FIG. 2 to changecomputer section gain, and the tens unit price selector gear train 72shown in FIG. 5 is one such example. Output gear 94 of the tax rateselector gear train 80 drives a tax print counter 95 through suitablegearing 96 and a drive body 97, which drive body may be functionallyidentical to drive body 56 shown in detail in FIGS. 11, 13, 14 and 15.

Tax rate output gear 94 also drives one side of a differential 98through gearing 100. The other input to differential 98 is supplied byshaft 75 which accumulates price per quantity unit. Hence, the output ofdifferential 98 represents the price per quantity unit adjusted toinclude the tax at a rate selected by the operator. This output appearsat shaft 101 as a shaft rotation which is transferred to price printcounter 102 through drive body 103. Drive body 103 is of the same orsimilar construction as drive bodies 56 and 97, as shown in detail inFIGS. 11, 13,14 and 15.

It is a primary function of drive bodies 56, 97 and 103 to perform, incooperation with clutch 62 (FIG. 3) and cam mechanism (FIG. 11 thealigning or rounding off of the least significant digits of the printcounters 60, 95 and 102 to the nearest full digit so that a readablerecord of the transaction may be made by the printing apparatus forminga part of the register and so that the printed price will agree with thecorrect computation based on quantity units or gallons printed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 input gear 55 and outputgear 57 of drive body 56 are coupled by a spring 111 which is wrappedsnugly around hub 112 of the output gear and bent radially outwardly atone end 113 thereof (FIG. 14) to project through a slot 114 formed inhub 115 of input gear 55. Spring 111 acts as a one-way clutch, causingthe input gear to drive the output gear in one direction(counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 15) but not in the other direction.It is also to be noted with reference to FIG. 14 that slot 114 formed ininput gear 55 is enlarged to permit limited relative rotational movementbetween the input and output gears on the drive body. This limitedrelative rotational movement allows the associated print counter to lagits input gear train by one-half least significant digit at the start ofdelivery.

A spring-loaded pawl 116 is carried on output gear 57 of drive body 56,as best shown in FIG. 15, to engage a ratchet wheel 117 secured tosleeve 118 on shaft 38. Input and output gears 55 and 57 of drive body56 are journaled on shaft 38 to rotate independently of the shaft in Ithe normal counterclockwise'direction (as viewed in FIG. for driving itsassociated print counter. When sleeve 118. on shaft 38 is rotated in thesame counterclockwise direction, ratchet wheel 117 will advance thedrive body output gear 57 when pawl 116 rides down to buttagainst one of.the ratchet teeth. By selecting the proper number of teethon-theratchet wheel-normally doubit: the number of digits on the leastsignificant digit wheel of theprint counter-and by having the leastsignif cant digit wheel lag the input gear train during the' delivery,the alignment and round-ofi to the nearest digit for printing isautomatically achieved, following the delivery by rotating shaft 38 anamount equivalent to one whole number of the least significant digitwheel or approximately 36 where the numbers 0,

through 9 are equally spaced around the digit wheel.

' The construction and operation of drive bodies 97 and 103 areidentical tothat just described for drive body 56 except thatitheirassociated ratchet wheel, 120 on drive body 97 and 121 on drive body103, is secured to advance shaft 38 rather than sleeve 118, as bestshown in FIG. 11. A price-tax advance lever 122 is secured to shaft 38adjacent one end thereof and is provided-with a cam follower wheel 123for engaging pricetax cam 124 carried on shaft 125 journaled in framestructure 126. A quantity advance lever 127 is secured to sleeve 118 andis similarly 'provided'with a cam follower wheel 128 forengagingquantity advance cam 130, also secured to shaft 125. Carn drivegear 131 is secured to shaft 125 externally of frame structure 126 fordriving price-tax advance cam 124 and quantity advance cam 130. Springs139 and 149 urge levers 122 and 127, respectively, in a direction tomaintain cam followers 123 and 128 in engagement with their respectivecams 124 and 130. I

Referring to FIG. 10, cam drive gear 131 is coupled to seetor gear 132through gear 133. Sector gear 132 is secured to drive shaft 41 which isadapted to be rotated manually by reset knob'40, shown in FIG. 1. Therelative size of gears 131, 132 and 133 (FIG. 10) are suchthat rotationof drive shaft 41 through an arc of nearly 270 from one extreme positiontothe other by a force applied manually through knob 40, will producethe required rotation of shaft 58, shaft 61 and cam shaft1 25-to performthe several functions required .of these shafts in the before and afterdelivery modes. As is apparent from FIG. 10, sector gear 132 is limitedin its rotation by cam follower134 riding in a' cani'slot135 formedinvthe wall of gear 132. Inijadditio'n to limiting the rotation of sectorgear 132, cam slot 135 and pin 134 cooperate to actuate a recordingsheet locking bar 136 and a selector gear deflector plate 137 oncarriage 234, shown in FIG. 8. Still referring to FIG. 10, it is seenthat sector gear 132 drivlngly engages gear 133 throughout only aportion of its total travel and that a cam 138 is fonned integral withsector gear 132 to mate with a cam 140 on gear 133 to lock shaft 58,shaft 61, gear 133, cam drive gear 131, shaft 125 and their associatedmechanisms in a prescribed position at all times except during thatportion of throughout a sufficient portion of the length of the shaft,as shown in FIG. 1, to permit axial movement of the shaft in performingthe price, product code andtax rate selection functrons.

A clutch actuating cam 155 on shown in FIG. 3, is arranged to engageapin 156 journaled in frame structure 157 for relative axial movement,causing the pin to move in the direction of arrow 158. A bifurcatedlever 162 is secured to one end of pin 156 and arranged to engage aflange 163, forming a part of the structured clutch plate 59.

By retracting pin 156 in the direction of arrow 158 against the actionof spring 160, lever 162 compresses spring 161, allowing clutch plate 59to move to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 and become disengaged from itsmating clutch plate 164. Clutch plate 59 is fixed against relativerotation with respect to clutch input gear 63, which is driven by theoutput gear of drive body 56, as previously described in connection withFIG. 2. Hence, when clutch 62 is closed, that is, when the serrations onclutch plate 59'are in mesh with the serrations on clutch plate 164,rotation of gear 163 is transmitted to sleeve 64 and clutch output gears65 and 66. When clutch 62 is held open against the action of springs 160and 161, gears 65 and 66 are no longer coupled to gear 63 through clutch62. However, means are provided for maintaining a predetermined frictioncoupling between gear 63 and the output gears of the clutch, even whenthe clutch is open for the purpose of eliminating backlash in thecomputer system. This frictioh coupling is achieved by extending sleeve64 through the hub'of clutch plate Y59 and securing at erid 165 thereofa friction plate 166 which engages a mating friction plate 167 securedto the'hub of gear 63.

Hence, when the clutch is open, a certain amount of friction drag ispresent to cause output gears 65 and 66 in the clutch assembly to tendto rotate with gear 63. The amount of the friction load is a matter ofdesign, but preferably need not ex- 1 ceed that required to slightlyovercome the normal friction loads in the computer section and variousgear trains of the register.

Since the input tothe register is a shaft rotation coupled 'to thecomputing section'thereof through clutch 62, the clutch is engaged orclosed during the delivery mode of operation. At the conclusion ofdelivery, it is desired to open clutch 62 only after quantity advancecam 130 has rotated sleeve 118 and performed the rounding off functionin connection with quantity print counter and before'the price and taxprint counters are advanced. The necessary sequencing of theseoperations to advance the quantity, price and tax print counters withthe opening of clutch 62 is achieved by properly locating earn 155 onsector gear 132 (FIG. 10) to establish the proper phase relationshipbetween the rotation of shaft and. the point at which cam 155 engagespin 156.

A latch lever 170journaled on" shaft 38 is swingable'irito engagementwith a notch 171 in pin 156, as best shown in FIGS.

the-rotation of drive shaft 41 in which sector gear 132 is in mesh withgear 133. Cam drive gear 131 drives gear 142 on shaft 58 whichcarriesthe resettable visual quantity counter 24, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Acircular slot 143 formed in gear 131 allows selector shaft 26 to passtherethrough for manipu-- lating the shaft from either side of theregister without inhibiting the necessary rotational movement of gear131. The cam slot 144 formed in gear 131 receives a cam follower carriedon lever 146. Lever 146 is secured to shaft 147 journaled in' framestructure 148. A second arm which is also secured to shaft 147 isnotched at one end 151 thereof to en- -"-gage splines 152 formed inshaft26 f r the purpose of locking I the shafl'against rotation at alltimes except at the beginning of the before-delivery mode of operationof the register, as

hereinafter described. Splines 152' formed in shaft 26 extend 3 and 4,to hold clutch 62 open once it is moved to the open position by theaction of cam [55. Latch lever is spring urged in the direction of pin156 by a spring 172. A pawl 173 secured to lever 170 and spacedlaterally therefrom is arranged to be engaged by a detent 174 on sectorgear 132, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, for retracting the latchlever 170 andallowing clutch 62 to close. This closing or engaging ofclutch 62 is made to occur just prior to reaching the delivery mode ofoperation of the register and during the before-delivery modehereinafter described in further detail.

As explained earlier in connection withFlG. 1, computing and recordingregister-20 features price, product code and tax rate selectormechanisms permitting these variables to be changed by manipulating acontrol knob 27 available to an operator externally of the register. Inthe case of the tens unit price selector gear train 72, which is shownin detail in FIG. 5, a pinion gear 175 engages arack 176 having slots177 for guided'movement on pins 178 carried on frame 180.. Teeth 181 onrack 176 mesh with a gear 182 on shaft 183 so that as rack 176 istranslated within the limits of the pin and slot connection with frame180, gear 182 will be rotated. A compound? sector gear 132, as best cam184 on gear 182 is rotated with the gear by rack 176 to any of aplurality of predetermined rotational positions wherein a cam follower,such as cam follower 185, falls into a notch in the cam allowing aselected tens unit gear 186 to engage gear 187 which is coupled to anddriven by gear 66 of clutch 62 (FIG. 3). Gear 186 is mounted on camfollower 185, which in turn is swingably carried on frame 180 throughpin 188. A spring 190 acting between cam 185 and frame 180 urges the camfollower into engagement with cam 184 to positively shift the gears intomeshed engagement on proper alignment of the cam with the cam follower.Transfer gear 191 on cam follower 185 is driven by gear 186. An outputgear 192 on shaft 193 is rotated by transfer gear 191, causing shaft 193to rotate at a selected speed ratio with respect to the rotation ofdrive gear 66 representing the input to the tens unit price selectorgear train assembly 72. A plurality of additional cam followers 194, 195and 196 are swingably carried on frame 180 in a manner similar to thatjust described for cam follower 185. These additional cam followerscarry gears of different diameter which are arranged to selectivelydrive output shaft 193 of the tens unit gear train at the differentrates representing thedifferent tens unit price increments. Due tophysical constraints in the gear train assembly, a companion gear 197 togear 192 may be provided to engage certain of the transfer gears, suchas 198 and 201, on cam followers 194 and 195 where these gears are in aplane laterally displaced from the plane of transfer gear 191, forexample. These transfer gears all serve the common purpose oftransferring shaft motion from the input gear 187 to the output gears192 and 197 on shaft 193 at any one of several available speed ratiosselected by an operator through linear displacement of rack 176. When'shaft 193 is held stationary, the tens unit output setting representszero.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, tenths unit price selector gear train 70and units price selector gear train 71 are variable in incrementsthrough 9 by engaging different diametral portions of stepped cone gear67. Lateral movement of tenths unit price selector gear train 70relative to the cone gear is effected by a rack 205 and pinion 206driven by shaft 26 (FIG. 1) through one of gears 37 (FIG. 11). Rack 205is formed on a lever 207 joumaled for free rotation on spline shaft 208and arranged to be moved axially of the shaft on rotation of pinion gear206. One end 210 of lever 207 carries a roller 211 adapted to be engagedby selector gear deflector plate 137 for rotating the lever about shaft208 to disengage the tenths unit price gear train 70 from cone gear 67before making an incremental price change. Gear 209 in gear train 70 iskeyed to the spline in shaft 208 to rotate the shaft in drivingdifferential 73 (FIG. 2) while being movable axially therealong todifferent diametral portions of cone gear 67.

Units price gear train 71 includes lever 212 joumaled on spline shaft213 for free axial and rotational movement into and out of engagementwith cone gear 67 in a manner similar to that described above inconnection with tenths unit price gear train 70. One end 214 of lever212 is pinned at 215 to a push rod 216 projecting through openings in asupporting bracket 217 which confine the push rod to linear'axialmovement. A spring 218 concentric with rod 216 between frame 217 and aretaining washer 220 normally urges rod 216 in an upward direction, asviewed in FIG. 6, urging gear train 71 into engagement with cone gear67. The free upper end of push rod 216 is adapted to engage theunderside of plate 137 and be depressed by the plate for disengaging theunits price gear train 71 from the cone gear. Frame 217 is secured to agrooved rack 221 adapted to be moved axially by pinion 239 (FIGS. 8 and9) by manually rotating shaft 26 (FIG. 1) when indexed with the unitsprice gear among the group of gears 30, shown in FIG. 1. Axial movementof grooved rack 221 causes frame 217 to move laterally with it, carryingpush rod 216 and gear train 71. Gear 229 in gear train 71 is keyed tothe spline in shaft 213 to rotate the shaft while being movabletherealong to different segments of the cone gear. Shaft 213 is in thepower train to differential 74 (FIG. 2).

Discrete lateral displacement of units price gear train 71 so as toengage the desired diametral portions of cone gear 67 is assured by theuse of a detent plate 223, as shown in FIG. 7,-

into proper alignment with respect to the desired diametral portion ofstepped cone gear 67; Any of the discrete lateral positions defined bythe notches and representing the numbers 0 through 9 may be selectedwhile push rod 220 is held depressed against the action of spring 218.When plate 137 is allowed to swing upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 6, aboutits hinge axis 226, pin 224 moves into one of the notches 225 of detentplate 223, locking gear train 71 in the selected lateral position withrespect to the cone gear. A similar locking arrangement is provided fortenths unit price gear train 70 as represented by detent plate 227 andprojection 228 on lever 207. It should also be noted in FIG. 6 thatlever 207 is urged in the direction to engage cone gear 67 by spring230.

Plate 137 is swingable about its hinge axis 226 by a cam follower 231carried on a lever 232, forming a part of plate structure l 37. Camfollower 231 engages a cam 233 on carriage 234. A platen 235, as shownin FIGS. 8 and 9, is swingably carried above carriage 234 and printcounters 39 on frame structure 236 by pins 237 and 238.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 8, carriage 234 is suitablysupported on frame structure 236, such as by ways 240 and 241, allowingfore and aft movement of the carriage. A pair of spaced plates 242 and243 on carriage 234 are arranged to receive recording sheet 43 andsupport the same above print wheel counters 39 and beneath platen 235 inthe proper position for receiving printed information on actuation ofthe platen, in a manner similar to that disclosed in US. Pat. No.3,121,53l. The aft end of plates 242 and 243 are joined at 249 (FIG. 6)to provide a positive stop for the recording sheet inserted therein. Thespaced plates at the open end are flared outwardly to index with slot 44in the computing register housing shown in FIG. 1 and to facilitateinsertion of the recording sheet into the computing register forrecording the computed data.

Yokes 244 and 245, one on either side of carriage 234 as shown in FIGS.8 and 9, engage cams 246 and 247, respectively, on drive shaft 41 tocontrol and time the fore and aft movement of carriage 234 in relationto other before and afterdelivery operations described herein.

It is the function of platen 235 to urge recording sheet 43 intoengagement with print counters 39 for making a recording. As best shownin FIG. 9, platen 235 is provided with an extension member 248 which isadapted to butt against an extension member 250 on platen actuatinglever 251. Lever 251 is swingably carried on pin 238. A tension spring252 acting between extension members 248 and 250 urges the two membersinto the abutting relationship shown so that swinging movement ofactuating lever 251 about shaft 238 will cause corresponding movement ofplaten 235 about pins 237 and 238. Lever 251 carries a roller 253arranged to engage platen actuating cam 254. Cam 254 is carried on driveshaft 41 and allowed limited rotational movement relative thereto bymeans of a pin 255 and slot 256 coupling like that described in theabove-mentioned US. Pat. No. 3,121,511]. A tension spring 257 at theouter end of platen actuating lever 251 urges roller 253 into engagementwith cam 254 to support platen 235 in a suspended or neutral positionout of contact with a recording sheet 43 when inserted between the spaceplates of movable carriage 234. Rotation of drive shaft 41 causes tooth255 to engage the cam 254 and rotate the latter until high point 258 ofcam 254 has raised the platen and roller 253 past the top dead centerposition. As cam 254 passes top dead center, the spring force on theplaten urges the platen downward toward the recording sheet, causing cam254 to lead shaft 41. The platen picks up momentum as cam 254 fallsfreely to its minimal position, and this momentum of platen 235 causesit to pass its neutral'position, stretching spring 252 and forcing therecording sheet against the print counters 39 to record the indiciaappearing on the counters. The energyof tension spring 252 then returnsplaten 235 to its neutral position spaced from the recording sheet andcounters 39.

It is desirable to lock recording sheet 43 in the register during eachdelivery to assure that a true record willbe made of the transaction.This is accomplished with locking bar 136 which is hinged by pin 260 onone side of carriage 234. A slot 261 formed in the other end 262 oflocking bar 136 receives actuating lever 263 hinged to frame structure236 at pin 237. Actuating lever 263 is rocked about pin 237 by camfollower 134 riding in cam slot 135 formed in sector gear 132 (FIG. 10).Only when sector gear 132 is rotated to the extreme position other thanthat shown in FIG. 10 are actuating lever 63 and locking bar 136 risedto permit the insertion or removal of a recordingsheet from theregister. A pair of spring-loaded pins 264-and 265 are carried onlocking bar 136 to project through openings 266 formed in upper plate242, as shown in FIG. 10, to resiliently engage the recording sheet andhold the same firmly in position between plates 242 and 243.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 16, the register is provided with an interlocksystem controlled in part by lever 283 secured to shaft 294 (FIG. 10).Latch 285, secured to shaft 284, is held out of engagement with gear 286on nonresettable visual quantity counter 23 at both extreme positions ofsector gear 132. At these two extreme positions, detent 282 engagesrecess 280 or 281 to hold latch 285 away from gear 286. However, at allintermediate positions of sector gear 132, latch lever 283 is allowed torotate sufficiently in a clockwise direction as urged by spring 287 tocause latch 285 to engage gear 286 and hold the same against rotation.This effectively locks the input gear train 50, illustrated in FIG. 2,substantially throughout both the before-delivery and after-deliverymodes.

With the supplemental locking mechanism shown in FIG. 16, the computersection of the register is also locked throughout essentially the entirebefore-delivery mode and a lesser portion of the after-delivery mode. Anidler gear 290 on shaft 141 is selectively engaged by latch 299 on thesame shaft 284 as latch 285 to prevent rotation of price drive bodyinput gear 291. A pin 292 on shaft 284 rides in'a slot 293 formed in thehub of latch 299, while spring 294 urges the latch towards an extremeposition engaging idler wheel 290. The latched condition existsthroughout most of the before-delivery mode. However, rotation of shaft284 by latch lever 283 to the raised position shown in FIG. 10 at eitherextreme position of sector gear 132, is effective to disengage latch 299from gear 290.

In the after-delivery mode, arm 295 on latch 299 is arranged to buttagainst cam follower lever 296 pivotally carried on shaft 297 forholding latch 299 disengaged from gear 290 only throughout the firststage of the two-stage advance of print counters 39. Cam 298 on shaft141 controls the actuation and timing of cam follower lever 296. Spring309 forces the cam follower lever against the cam. To provide thedesired dwell of lever 296 for holding latch 299 out of engagement withgear 290, a pin 300 and slot 301 arrangement is employed in coupling cam298 to shaft 61 This is needed primarily because shaft 61 is the resetshaft for print wheel counters 39 and is rotated slightly over one fullturn to perfonn the counter reset operation while substantially lessrotation is needed for proper actuation of cam follower lever 296.

Computing and recording register has three distinct operating modes, andthese are referred to herein as the before-delivery mode, the deliverymode and the after-delivery mode. The drawings show the register in thedelivery mode. At the beginning of the before-delivery mode, sector gear132 is in the extreme position opposite that shown in FIG. 10, whereindetent 282 rests in recess 280. At this stage, the register will receivea recording sheet 43 and allow the necessary adjustments, if any, to bemade in the price, produce code and tax rate settings. It is at thisbeginning of the before-delivery mode, and only this mode, that latchlever 150 (FIG. 10) is held out of engagement with splines 152 on shaft26 so that shaft 26 may be rotated and translated with knob 27 by anoperator to make appropriate changes in the price, product code and taxrate settings. Atthis stage of the before-delivery mode, carriage 234(FIG. 8) is in its most forward position wherein cam follower 231 ispositioned atop cam 233, causing plate 137 to depress push rod 216 andlever 207 and retract gear trains 70 and 71 out of engagement with conegear 67 (FIG. 6), allowing these gear trains to be moved laterallyrelative to the cone gear to different diametral portions thereofrepresenting different price increments. The tens unit gear train 72 andtax rate gear train may also be readjusted at this time by manipulationof shaft 26.

After recording sheet 43 has been inserted in the register and thedesired price, product code and tax rate adjustments made, the operatormanually turns knob 40, shown in FIG. 1, to rotate shaft 41 in aclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10, about three-quarters of aturn to reach the delivery mode position shown in FIG. 10. As knob 40 isrotated in the beforedelivery mode towards the delivery mode positionwhile clutch 62 is held open, the following events occur: I latches 285and 299 engage gears 286and 290 as lever 283 drops off cam 138 (FIGS. 10and 16); (2) print wheel counter reset shaft 61 and visual price countershaft 58 are rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 10, to resetthe counters to zero; and (3) drive bodies 56, 97 and 103 areconditioned for introducing the one-half least significant digit lag atthe start of delivery. Clutch 62 in the computer section of the registerremains open until just prior to reaching the delivery mode positionwhen detent 174 engages latch lever 173 (FIGS.'4 and 10), causing latcharm 170 to disen'gage'notch 171 in pin 156, at which time the force ,ofspring 161 in the clutch assembly (FIG. 3) forces clutchplate 59 intoengagement with clutch plate 164. Duringthis mode and before clutch 62closes, the friction through; the open clutch as obtained throughfriction plates 165 and 167 drives the computer section against the stopprovided by latch 299 to remove all backlash in the system and to causeprice tumblers in the counters that may be out of engagement to dropinto engagement. Thus, drive body 103 at the most remote end of thecomputer section drive system'is locked throughout the initial phase ofreset in the before-deliver .y mode, and it remains locked until thefinal stages of reset, causing the several gear trains to drive againstthe stop and remove any backlash in the system by the time the deliverymode is reached.

When sector gear 132 reaches the delivery position Shown in FIG. 10,latches 285 and 299 are raised out of contact with their associatedgears 286 and 290 by rotation of lever 284, as detent 282 rides up oncam 138 into recess 281. Cam follower lever 296 assumes the positionshown in FIG. 16, butting against latchlever 295. Clutch 62 (FIG. 3) isclosed, and as delivery of the metered quantity begins to rotate shaft45 at the input to the register, the computer gear trains correspondingly begin to rotate. At this beginning of the delivery mode,detent 113 on spring clutch 111 is in the position shown in solid linesin FIG. 14in each'drive body 56, 97 and 103. The initial rotation ofinput gear on each drive body does not pick up and drive output gear 112until spring detent 113 has moved to the opposite side of slot 114,shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14. This introduces alag of one-half leastsignificant digit in the quantity, price and tax print counters 60, 102and 95, respectively. Thereafter,.:the several computer section drivetrains operate the several counters to perform the quantity, price andtax computations in accordance with the price per unit quantity and taxrate settings established in the before-delivery mode.

When the desired quantity of material is delivered, the operator shutsoff the pump, or whatever, which drives shaft 45. Then, through knob 40(FIG. 1), the operator rotates drive shaft 41 and sector gear 132 in acounterclockwise direction about three-quarters of a turn until pin 134is bottomed in the opposite end 310 (from that shown in FIG. 10) of slot135. It is this rotation of drive shaft 41 and sector gear 132 in acounterclockwise direction from the delivery position shown whichconstitutes the after-delivery mode of register operation.

Initial counterclockwise rotation of drive shaft 41 and sector gear 132allows detent 282 to slide out of recess 281 and down off cam 138 (FIG.10), thus causing shaft 281 to rotate in a direction causing latch 285to engage gear 286 and effectively lock input gear train 50 (FIG. 2) ofthe register, including input gear 55 on drive body 56. Cam followerlever 296 dwells in the delivery position shown in FIG. 16, holdinglatch 299 out of engagement with gear 290. During the first segment orstage of the after-delivery mode, rotation of drive shaft 41, which ison the order of one-half the total travel for this mode, gear trainassembly 42 drives cam shaft 125 counterclockwise in FIG. 10 to rocksleeve 118 through cam 130 and cam follower 128 in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 15. As sleeve 118 is rotated in acounterclockwise direction in FIG. 15, output gear 57 of drive body 56is advanced to align and round off the least significant digit inquantity print counter 60 to the nearest number for printing. In thisrounding off and digit aligning process, the one-half least significantdigit lag introduced at the start of the delivery is automaticallycompensated for so as to provide a quantity total on the quantitycounter which is accurate to the closest least significant digit. Thisis, if the actual delivered quantity is 51.87 gallons, for example, thequantity print counter before advance will read 51.82 by interpolationand after advance will read 51.9 gallons. Similarly, if the actualdelivered quantity is 51.84 gallons, for example, the print counterbefore advance will read 50.79 by interpolation and after advance, 5 I.8 gallons.

As cam 130 reaches its high point, cam 155 on sector gear 132 (FIG.indexes with pin 156 (FIG. 3) and within a few degrees of rotation ofdrive shaft 41, pin 156 is retracted, uncoupling clutch 62. Until thisoccurs in the after-delivery mode, it is seen from FIG. 2 that quantityprint counter 60 is coupled through the computer section with price andtax print counters 102 and 95. Hence, as the quantity print counter 60is advanced to perform the rounding off function, it drives the priceand tax gear trainsthrough the computer to add to the price and taxcounters an appropriate amount representative of the quantity incrementaddition.

On completion of the rounding off function for quantity print counter60, price-tax cam 124 (FIG. 11) begins to rise and rotate shaft 38 foradvancing price counter 102 and tax counter 95 in a manner similar tothat just described for quantity counter 60. While output gear 312 inprice drive body 103 and output gear 313 in tax drive body 97 are beingdriven by shaft 38 during the second stage of the after-delivery mode,the input gears 311 and 291 of the tax and price drive bodies areeffectively locked by latch 299 engaging gear 290 on shaft 141.Actually, latch 299 moves into engagement with gear 290 at theconclusion of the first stage advance and remains locked until theafter-delivery mode is completed. Throughout this second stage advancephase of the after-delivery mode, clutch 62 (FIG. 3) is preferably heldopen by latch 170 engaging notch 171 in pin 156. The action of drivebodies 97 and 103, combined with the locking of the price and tax geartrains with latch 299, allows the price and tax counters to advance andalign the digits as required for the printing operation while holdingthe numerical position established for the quantity print counter in thefirst stage advance phase. Consequently, the printed price will alwaysagree with the printed quantity.

During the after-delivery mode, carriage 234 moves forward on rotationof drive shaft 41 to position recording sheet 43 for making a record ofthe transaction. Near the conclusion of the second stage advance, whenprice and tax counters 102 and 95 are being rounded off to the nearesttenths unit or tenth of a cent for printing, platen 235 is raised by cam254 on drive shaft 41, and when the cam reaches its top dead centerposition at the conclusion of the second stage advance, spring 257vigorously pulls the platen down, forcing the recording sheet againstprint counters 39 and causing a recording to be made of the transaction.Platen return spring 252 almost immediately thereafter restores theplaten to a neutral position above the counters and recording sheet. Theafter-delivery mode is substantially completed at this point. However,rotation of drive shaft 41 a few more degrees to lift cam follower 134into the high portion 310 ofslot 134 (FIG. 10) raises lever 263, andthis in turn releases recording sheet 43 from retaining pins 264 and 265on locking bar 136.

As sector gear 132 (FIG. 10) reaches its extreme counterclockwiseposition, lever 283 is raised and detent 282 seated in recess 280 on cam138. This unlocks shaft 141 as well as shaft 26, and as soon as therecording sheet is removed the register is ready to begin anotherbefore-delivery mode in preparation for computing and recording anothertransaction.

While a specific embodiment has been shown and described, it is forpurposes of illustration rather than limitation. It is accordingly to beunderstood that certain alterations, modifications and substitutions maybe made to the instant disclosure without departing from the teachingsof this invention,as defined by the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

Iclaim:

1. A computing register comprising: an input shaft rotatable torepresent a metered quantity, first digital counting means coupled tosaid input shaft and adapted to be driven by said shaft for accumulatingquantity units incrementally, drive means, second digital counting meanscoupled to said first digital counting means through said drivemeans foraccumulating monetary units incrementally, and actuator means forserially moving the first and second digital counting means to round offand align said counting means to the nearest least significant digit,said drive means being operable to allow only one of said digitalcounting means to be moved by said actuating means independently of theother digital counting means whereby the accumulation of monetary unitsis made to agree with the accumulation of quantity units.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said counting means are printcounters, and said device includes a carriage for supporting a recordingsheet approximate said print counters, and platen means operable intimed relation to said actuator means for pressing said recording sheetagainst said print counters for making a recording of the accumulatedquantity and monetary units.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said carriage is movable, andsaid device includes a drive shaft manually rotatable between twoextreme positions for establishing the desired sequence of operationsfor said device and causing a recording to be made both before and aftereach transaction.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein movement by said actuatormeans'is in a direction to advance said counter.

means, and said device includes latch means for positively holding saidother digital counting means from advancing when said one digitalcounting means is independently advanced.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes atleast one variable ratio gear train, and selector means for adjustingsaid variable ratio gear train to establish any one of a plurality ofdifferent discrete monetary values per quantity unit.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said drive means includes avariable ratio gear train for adding an appropriate tax percentage tothe accumulation of monetary units.

7. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said selector means includes aselector shaft accessible to an operator externally of the device forchanging to different discrete monetary values per quantity unit.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said selector shaft is movableboth axially and rotationally to perform its function.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 including means for automaticallylocking said selector shaft against rotation to preclude changingmonetary values except in a beforedelivery mode prior to eachtransaction.

10. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includesshaft means, and said drive means includes drive body means carried onsaid shaft means, said drive body means including output gear meanscoupled to said counting means, and ratchet means coupling said outputgear means to said shaft means so as to permit unlimited rotationrelative to said shaft means in said one direction and limited rotationto any one of a plurality of discrete relative positions in the oppositedirection, and means for rotating said shaft means and establishing apredetennined timing sequence for moving said first and second digitalcounting means to align the digits.

1]. A device as defined in claim wherein movement by said actuator meansis in a direction to advance said counting means, and said drive bodymeans includes lost motion means coupling said counting means forintroducing a one-half least significant digit lag in said countingmeans to facilitate rounding off the output of said counter means to thenearest least significant digit.

12. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator means forserially moving the first and second digital counting means includes camfollower means, coupling means between said cam follower means and saidcounting means, and cam means for rotating said cam follower means tomove said counting means through said coupling means.

13. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said second digital countingmeans is coupled to said drive means through said coupling means, andsaid coupling means includes a pair of gears one coupled to the otherthrough a lost motion connection whereby a lag is introduced into saidcounting means for rounding off the counting means output to the nearestleast significant digit by movement in a direction advancing saidcounting means.

14. A device as defined in claim 13 including clutch means coupling saidfirst digital counting means to said drive means, a manually rotatabledrive shaft, and cam means controlled by said shaft for operating saidclutch means in timed relation with said actuator means.

15. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes anoutput gear, and said device includes clutch means coupling said firstdigital counting means to said drive means, reset means for resettingsaid second digital counting means to a start position and actuatingsaid clutch means, latch means providing a stop for holding said outputgear during actuation of said reset means, and friction means couplingsaid drive means to said reset means for urging said drive means againstthe stop to minimize backlash in said computer means.

16. A computing register comprising: input shaft means rotatableproportional to a metered quantity, an integrating digital counter, agear train coupling said counter to said input means for accumulatingnumerical units proportional to said metered quantity, reset means forresetting said counter to a start position, latch means providing a stopfor holding said gear train during actuation of said reset means, andfriction means coupling said gear train to said reset means for urgingsaid gear train against the stop.

17. A computing register comprising, an input shaft rotatableproportional to a metered quantity, quantity counter means coupled tosaid input shaft for accumulating quantity units incrementally, variableratio gear train means, clutch means selectively coupling said quantitycounter means to drive said variable ratio gear train means, pricecounter means coupled to said variable ratio gear train means foraccumulating monetary units, a manually rotatable drive shaft responsiveto rotation in one direction for resetting said counters to a startposition, cam means responsive to rotation of said drive shaft in adirection opposite said one direction for serially advancing saidcounters for rounding off the counter output to the nearest leastsignificant digit, and means for actuating said clutch means in timedrelation with said cam means and causing only said price counter to bedriven by the other counter on rotation of said cam means in a directionto advance the other counter whereby the rounded off accumulation ofmonetary units is made to agree with the rounded off accumulation ofquantity units.

18. A device as defined in claim 17 including selector shaft meansaccessible to an operator externally of the device for adjusting saidvariable ratio gear train means to select different discrete monetaryvalues per uantity unit. I

19. A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said counters are printcounters, and said device includes a carriage for supporting a recordingsheet in close proximity to said counters, and a platen movable onrotation of said drive shaft for pressing said recording sheet againstsaid counters for making a record of the counter output.

20. A device as defined in claim 19 wherein said drive shaft isrotatable between two extreme positions to complete a delivery cycle,and said device includes means responsive to rotation of said driveshaft from one of said two extreme positions for positively retaining arecording sheet in said carriage until said drive shaft is returned tothe one extreme position completing a delivery cycle.

21. A device as defined in claim 20 including means internal to thedevice for rendering said selector shaft means inoperative except whensaid drive shaft is at said one extreme position.

22. The method of rounding off digital counters to their nearest leastsignificant digit in a computing register having a continuous quantitymetering input, a quantity counter for accumulating quantity unitsincrementally, and a price counter for accumulating monetary unitsincrementally comprising, driving said price counter with said quantitycounter when rounding off the quantity counter, and then rounding offthe price counter.

23. The method of rounding off digital counters to their nearest leastsignificant digit in a computing register having a continuous quantitymetering input, a quantity counter for accumulating quantity unitsincrementally, and a price counter for accumulating monetary unitsincrementally comprising, driving one of said counters with the othercounter when rounding off said other counter, and then rounding off saidone counter.

1. A computing register comprising: an input shaft rotatable torepresent a metered quantity, first digital counting means coupled tosaid input shaft and adapted to be driven by said shaft for accumulatingquantity units incrementally, drive means, second digital counting meanscoupled to said first digital counting means through said drive meansfor accumulating monetary units incrementally, and actuator means forserially moving the first and second digital counting means to round offand align said counting means to the nearest least significant digit,said drive means being operable to allow only one of said digitalcounting means to be moved by said actuating means independently of theother digital counting means whereby the accumulation of monetary unitsis made to agree with the accumulation of quantity units.
 2. A device asdefined in claim 1 wherein said counting means are print counters, andsaid device includes a carriage for supporting a recording sheetapproximate said print counters, and platen means operable in timedrelation to said actuator means for pressing said recording sheetagainst said print counters for making a recording of the accumulatedquantity and monetary units.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid carriage is movable, and said device includes a drive shaftmanually rotatable between two extreme positions for establishing thedesired sequence of operations for said device and causing a recordingto be made both before and after each transaction.
 4. A device asdefined in claim 1 wherein movement by said actuator means is in adirection to advance said counter means, and said device includes latchmeans for positively holding said other digital counting means fromadvancing when said one digital counting means is independentlyadvanced.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive meansincludes at least one variable ratio gear train, and selector means foradjusting said variable ratio gear train to establish any one of aplurality of different discrete monetary values per quantity unit.
 6. Adevice as defined in claim 5 wherein said drive means includes avariable ratio gear train for adding an appropriate tax percentage tothe accumulation of monetary units.
 7. A device as defined in claim 5wherein said selector means includes a selector shaft accessible to anoperator externally of the device for changing to different discretemonetary values per quantity unit.
 8. A device as defined in claim 7wherein said selector shaft is movable both axially and rotationally toperform its function.
 9. A device as defined in claim 8 including meansfor automatically locking said selector shaft against rotation topreclude changing monetary values except in a before-delivery mode priorto each transaction.
 10. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein saidactuator means includes shaft means, and said drive means includes drivebody means carried on said shaft means, said drive body means includingoutput gear means coupled to said counting means, and ratchet meanscoupling said output gear means to said shaft means so as to permitunlimited rotation relative to said shaft means in said one directionand limited rotation to any one of a plurality of discrete relativepositions in the opposite direction, and means for rotating said shaftmeans and establishing a predetermined timing sequence for moving saidfirst and second digital counting means to align the digits.
 11. Adevice as defined in claim 10 wherein movement by said actuator means isin a direction to advance said counting means, and said drive body meansincludes lost motion means coupling said counting means for introducinga one-half least significant digit lag in said counting means tofacilitate rounding off the output of said counter means to the nearestleast significant digit.
 12. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein saidactuator means for serially moving the first and second digital countingmeans includes cam follower means, coupling means between said camfollower means and said counting means, and cam means for rotating saidcam follower means to move said counting means through said couplingmeans.
 13. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said second digitalcounting means is coupled to said drive means through said couplingmeans, and said coupling means includes a pair of gears one coupled tothe other through a lost motion connection whereby a lag is introducedinto said counting means for rounding off the counting means output tothe nearest least significant digit by movement in a direction advancingsaid counting means.
 14. A device as defined in claim 13 includingclutch means coupling said first digital counting means to said drivemeans, a manually rotatable drive shaft, and cam means controlled bysaid shaft for operating said clutch means in timed relation with saidactuator means.
 15. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drivemeans includes an output gear, and said device includes clutch meanscoupling said first digital counting means to said drive means, resetmeans for resetting said second digital counting means to a startposition and actuating said clutch means, latch means providing a stopfor holding said output gear during actuation of said reset means, andfriction means coupling said drive means to said reset means for urgingsaid drive means against the stop to minimize backlash in said computermeans.
 16. A computing register comprising: input shaft means rotatableproportional to a metered quantity, an integrating digital counter, agear train coupling said counter to said input means for accumulatingnumerical units proportional to said metered quantity, reset means forresetting said counter to a start position, latch means providing a stopfor holding said gear train during actUation of said reset means, andfriction means coupling said gear train to said reset means for urgingsaid gear train against the stop.
 17. A computing register comprising,an input shaft rotatable proportional to a metered quantity, quantitycounter means coupled to said input shaft for accumulating quantityunits incrementally, variable ratio gear train means, clutch meansselectively coupling said quantity counter means to drive said variableratio gear train means, price counter means coupled to said variableratio gear train means for accumulating monetary units, a manuallyrotatable drive shaft responsive to rotation in one direction forresetting said counters to a start position, cam means responsive torotation of said drive shaft in a direction opposite said one directionfor serially advancing said counters for rounding off the counter outputto the nearest least significant digit, and means for actuating saidclutch means in timed relation with said cam means and causing only saidprice counter to be driven by the other counter on rotation of said cammeans in a direction to advance the other counter whereby the roundedoff accumulation of monetary units is made to agree with the rounded offaccumulation of quantity units.
 18. A device as defined in claim 17including selector shaft means accessible to an operator externally ofthe device for adjusting said variable ratio gear train means to selectdifferent discrete monetary values per quantity unit.
 19. A device asdefined in claim 18 wherein said counters are print counters, and saiddevice includes a carriage for supporting a recording sheet in closeproximity to said counters, and a platen movable on rotation of saiddrive shaft for pressing said recording sheet against said counters formaking a record of the counter output.
 20. A device as defined in claim19 wherein said drive shaft is rotatable between two extreme positionsto complete a delivery cycle, and said device includes means responsiveto rotation of said drive shaft from one of said two extreme positionsfor positively retaining a recording sheet in said carriage until saiddrive shaft is returned to the one extreme position completing adelivery cycle.
 21. A device as defined in claim 20 including meansinternal to the device for rendering said selector shaft meansinoperative except when said drive shaft is at said one extremeposition.
 22. The method of rounding off digital counters to theirnearest least significant digit in a computing register having acontinuous quantity metering input, a quantity counter for accumulatingquantity units incrementally, and a price counter for accumulatingmonetary units incrementally comprising, driving said price counter withsaid quantity counter when rounding off the quantity counter, and thenrounding off the price counter.
 23. The method of rounding off digitalcounters to their nearest least significant digit in a computingregister having a continuous quantity metering input, a quantity counterfor accumulating quantity units incrementally, and a price counter foraccumulating monetary units incrementally comprising, driving one ofsaid counters with the other counter when rounding off said othercounter, and then rounding off said one counter.